Eastern Nazarene Baseball Edges Lasell in Non-Conference Tilt, 4-3

Quincy, Mass. (3/27/13) - The Eastern Nazarene baseball team captured a 4-3 victory over Lasell Wednesday afternoon at Bradley Field. The Lions improve to 5-8 on the season after notching their third-straight win. The Lasers drop to 3-8 overall with the loss.

Matt Sammarco (New Canaan, Conn.) went two for three at the plate and drove in a run for the Lasers, and Jacob Salkovitz (Brockton, Mass.) went one for two at the dish with a walk, a run scored and a run driven in. Jake Malone (Harwich, Mass.) took the loss for Lasell, surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks while fanning three. Greg Sherman (Marshfield, Mass.) gave a strong relief performance, throwing five and two-third innings scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six. David Long (Brookfield, Conn.) threw a scoreless inning and a third to close the game for Lasell, striking out three and not allowing a runner to reach base.

Michael Chiaradio Jr. (Teaneck, N.J.) and E.J. Estrada (Alpharetta, Ga.) each collected a team-best three hits and one RBI in the game. Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.) and Ryan Garza (Elsa, Texas) also picked up RBIs on the afternoon. Spyro Varetimos (North Attleboro, Mass.) hurled five innings in his first collegiate start on the hill. The rookie racked up six strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one run. Matt Jordon (Pleasantville, N.Y.) registered the first out of the sixth frame in his team-best fifth pitching appearance of the spring. Jamie Dominick (Taunton, Mass.) closed out the game on the mound, tossing 3.2 innings while fanning four.

Eastern Nazarene plated four runs in the top of the second inning to open the scoring. Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.),Quentin Moore (Sheridan, Calf.) and Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) all got on base to start the inning, loading the bases for the top of the Lions' order.

Chiaradio laced an RBI single into centerfield to drive in Koch and Estrada followed with a base knock to center to score Moore. Berroa raked a groundball through the left side of the infield to allow Wagner to scamper home. Garza recorded his team-leading ninth RBI of the season with one out in the frame, lifting a fly-ball to center for Chiaradio to tag up from third.

Lasell got on the board in the fifth as Dan Gagnon (Pompfret Center, Conn.) crossed the plate on a groundout by Rob Madden (Hingham, Mass.) with no outs, making it 4-1 in favor of the Lions.

The Lasers cut into the deficit again in the sixth when a Matt Sammarco RBI single to left-center and sent Jacob Salkovitz around to score.

Lasell tacked on its third run of the contest in the seventh to pull to within a run at 4-3 when Salkovitz singled to center scoring Madden. The Lasell rally fell short as the Lasers could only get one more runner on base in their final two innings, ultimately falling 4-3. 

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will look to extend its winning-streak as it hosts Anna Maria College March 28 in a non-league doubleheader at Adams Field.